Saturday, April 27
11:00 am MT
Montana State University
vs
MONTANA at Sacramento
Diego Campos and the Bobcats battle Montana on Saturday
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
TOURNEY TIME: Cats, Griz Meet in Men's Tennis Saturday in Sacramento
4/26/2013 3:37:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Semifinal showdown will boost one Treasure State team into title match
Montana State's first-year men's tennis coach Jared Burnham isn't sure how his team will respond to a week of not knowing its next opponent.
But he doesn't have much longer to wait.
With MSU's first opponent in the Big Sky Conference Tennis Championships now set – the Bobcats battle Montana on Saturday at 11 am MT after UM's first round win over Eastern Washington on Friday – Burnham knows a difficult challenge lies ahead. “Montana is a very good team and I expect another close match,” he said. “We've had two real battles with them this year, and (Saturday) should be the same.”
The Bobcats and Grizzlies split during the course of the regular season, but MSU's 5-2 win in Bozeman two weeks ago, coupled with a win over Idaho State last Sunday, boosted the Bobcats into a share of the Big Sky Conference regular season title. That series of events gave MSU the second seed in this weekend's Big Sky Championships, and a bye to Saturday's semifinals.
“I'm not sure if (a week not knowing its next opponent) will have any affect,” Burnham said, “but I'm glad to have the extra day of practice. Getting out to Sacramento a day before we have to play, some extra rest this week, getting an extra practice in, I think those things help a little.”
MSU freshman Harry James was less equivocal. “It doesn't matter,” he said.
The rest and uncertainty probably matter less than the status of Montana's lineup. Top singles player Mikolaj Caruk was injured the day before the Cat-Griz match on April 14. Without him Montana was 2-1, with wins over Eastern Washington and then-undefeated Idaho State. Caruk played Friday against Eastern Washington.
Burnham likes the state of MSU's lineup. “We're as healthy as a team can be at this time of year,” he said. “It's just a matter of going out and playing well.”
MSU is by a core of veterans. Niklas Brandes is playing his best tennis of the season at No. 1 singles, Burnham said, and Diego Campos' 15 victories this season is tied for the most in the Big Sky. Markus Schleuter's 10 wins at the No. 3 ladder spot is tied for the most victories in the league there.
Weber State knocked off Idaho State in the other men's semifinal on Friday, and squares off with top-seeded Sacramento State on Saturday at 11 am. The semifinal winners meet in Sunday's championship, also at 11 am.
But he doesn't have much longer to wait.
With MSU's first opponent in the Big Sky Conference Tennis Championships now set – the Bobcats battle Montana on Saturday at 11 am MT after UM's first round win over Eastern Washington on Friday – Burnham knows a difficult challenge lies ahead. “Montana is a very good team and I expect another close match,” he said. “We've had two real battles with them this year, and (Saturday) should be the same.”
The Bobcats and Grizzlies split during the course of the regular season, but MSU's 5-2 win in Bozeman two weeks ago, coupled with a win over Idaho State last Sunday, boosted the Bobcats into a share of the Big Sky Conference regular season title. That series of events gave MSU the second seed in this weekend's Big Sky Championships, and a bye to Saturday's semifinals.
“I'm not sure if (a week not knowing its next opponent) will have any affect,” Burnham said, “but I'm glad to have the extra day of practice. Getting out to Sacramento a day before we have to play, some extra rest this week, getting an extra practice in, I think those things help a little.”
MSU freshman Harry James was less equivocal. “It doesn't matter,” he said.
The rest and uncertainty probably matter less than the status of Montana's lineup. Top singles player Mikolaj Caruk was injured the day before the Cat-Griz match on April 14. Without him Montana was 2-1, with wins over Eastern Washington and then-undefeated Idaho State. Caruk played Friday against Eastern Washington.
Burnham likes the state of MSU's lineup. “We're as healthy as a team can be at this time of year,” he said. “It's just a matter of going out and playing well.”
MSU is by a core of veterans. Niklas Brandes is playing his best tennis of the season at No. 1 singles, Burnham said, and Diego Campos' 15 victories this season is tied for the most in the Big Sky. Markus Schleuter's 10 wins at the No. 3 ladder spot is tied for the most victories in the league there.
Weber State knocked off Idaho State in the other men's semifinal on Friday, and squares off with top-seeded Sacramento State on Saturday at 11 am. The semifinal winners meet in Sunday's championship, also at 11 am.
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